Plants, and the insects which rely on them, are the living foundations of our planet. But these foundations are under stress because we have a tendency to replace fields and forests with decorative trees and shrubs imported from around the world. Adding to the problem, our obsession ( 痴迷 ) with perfection leads us to use a lot of pesticides ( 杀虫剂 ).
These actions are part of the reason global biodiversity is crashing. There are over three billion fewer wild birds in North America than there were in 1970. Recent research shows that insect numbers, even in nature reserves, have fallen, and 40 percent of all insect species may be extinct within a few decades. This is discouraging news; however, there are actions we can take to help bring at least some species back.
The first step is to redefine our concept of “garden” to include more than just plants. We need to intentionally share our space, and not just with the birds, bees and butterflies that visit our flowers, but also with the little insects that may eat a part (very rarely all) of our plants. Therefore, we must limit pesticide use. It’s crucial to support nature’s recovery, and it’s much better for everyone: no doctor has ever recommended long-term exposure to pesticides.
Many drought-tolerant plants brought in from across the planet are being passed off as ecofriendly. However, mostly they’re not. Yes, you’re saving water, but these foreign plants can become disasters when they escape our yards. Helping the environment can be about more than saving water. Even in drier areas, like the American West, the selection of attractive native plants to choose from is vast. If dry is your style, there are native wildflowers, flowering bushes and trees that allow you to save water and nature.
Xeriscapes ( 节水型园艺 ) leave many gardeners thirsting for green, and there’s an important alternative that has been largely ignored. For those disenchanted with dry landscaping, using underappreciated and water-loving native plants to make your garden a real-life oasis ( 绿洲 ) could be lifesaving to wildlife. In nature, this unsung group of native plants is limited to riparian zones, the narrow belts of green along water bodies, but if consumers demand them, nurseries will increasingly carry these riparian species, and the presence of such plants in the garden will provide for many animals including not just butterflies and their relatives but also colorful birds.
The ideal garden would offer a combination of drought-tolerant native plants and a few species that need a little more water, providing options for little guests and the bigger ones that will come to eat them. As more creatures stop by to share our yards, we will be making nature, and us all, a little healthier.
1 ． What do we know about insect species?
A ． They have an impact on the diversity of plants.
B ． They disappear because of lack of nature reserves.
C ． They decrease partly due to our pursuit for perfection.
D ． They are the reason why we replace fields and forests.
2 ． The underlined phrase “disenchanted with” in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to ________.
A ． sick of B ． addicted to
C ． concerned about D ． impatient with
3 ． The passage mainly talks about ________.
A ． why we need grow native plants in gardens
B ． how gardening helps with biodiversity
C ． whether we should redefine “garden”
D ． what benefits gardening brings
4 ． Which of the following shows the development of ideas in the passage?
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point C: Conclusion
A ． 
B ． 
C ． 
D ． 
答案
1 ． C
2 ． A
3 ． B
4 ． D
【分析】
这是一篇说明文，文章主要讲述了园艺如何帮助大自然保持其生物多样性。
1. 细节理解题。根据第一段的 “Adding to the problem, our obsession ( 痴迷 ) with perfection leads us to use a lot of pesticides.” 可知，更令人困扰的是，因为人们追求完美从而使用了大量的杀虫剂。再由第二段的 “These actions are part of the reason global biodiversity is crashing. ” 可知，这些行动一定程度上减少了全球生物多样性。因此，昆虫种类的减少的部分原因是人们追求完美。故选 C 。
2. 词句猜测题。根据上一句中的 “Xeriscapes leave many gardeners thirsting for green, and there’s an important alternative that has been largely ignored. ” 可知，节水型园艺使许多园丁渴望获得绿色，并且有一种重要的替代方法已被很大程度上忽略。再由划线句子中的 “using underappreciated and water-loving native plants to make your garden a real-life oasis could be lifesaving to wildlife” 可知，使用价值不高且喜欢水的本土植物使你的花园成为真实的绿洲可能会挽救野生动植物的生命。这种做法即是被人们忽视的，产生的结果便是园艺渴望获得绿色，即他们 “ 讨厌 ” 干旱环境，因此划线部分意为 “ 不喜欢，讨厌 ” 。故选 A 。
3. 主旨大意题。根据最后一段的 “The ideal garden would offer a combination of drought-tolerant native plants and a few species that need a little more water, providing options for little guests and the bigger ones that will come to eat them. As more creatures stop by to share our yards, we will be making nature, and us all, a little healthier.” 可知，理想的花园要提供耐旱的本地植物和一些需要更多水的物种，为大大小小的昆虫提供觅食选择。随着越来越多的生物来到我们的花园，我们将使大自然（包括人类本身）变得更加健康。因此文章主要谈论的是园艺如何帮助大自然保持其生物多样性。故选 B 。
4. 推理判断题。文章第一段指出植物以及依赖它们的昆虫是我们星球的生命基础，但这个基础目前的状况并不乐观，并指出了造成这种情况的原因，这是中心观点；第二段举例说明全球生物多样性减少，并引出下文的解决措施；第三段开始讲解决问题的措施，提出了减少农药的使用；第四段和第五段谈的是节水措施；最后一段提出了理想的花园要有耐旱的本地植物和一些需要更多水的植物，就此得出结论，即人们要帮助大自然保持其生物多样性，因此文章的结构应为 D 项。故选 D 。
